Now We're Even
by cr8vgrl
Summary: When someone knocks you to the ground, it hurts. When they accidentally spill their cup of coffee all over you, it hurts. In the movies, it's a rule that you never dump your coffee all over them in return. But Caitlyn Gellar never did play by the rules


**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing! :D (As usual)**

Caitlyn Gellar's eyes popped open the moment her alarm clock began to shrilly announce that the hour had arrived for her to arise and begin her new line of work. Though she was nowhere _close_ to being a morning person, Caitlyn fairly jumped out of bed and ran over to the bed next to hers, eagerly shaking her roommate out of her blissful slumber.

"Mitchie!" she cried, shaking her friend a little harder when all that issued from Mitchie's mouth was a gurgled groan of protest. "Mitchie, wake up!! Today's the day!"

"Go away," were the first audible words that Mitchie uttered on what Caitlyn thought to be the most important day of her friend's life.

"No," she replied stubbornly. "You and I have worked too hard to throw everything away for a couple more hours of sleep. You can sleep after the show. Now come on!" To help her sleepy friend along, Caitlyn yanked all of Mitchie's covers off, leaving her friend shivering and fully awake now that a blast of cold air had hit her body.

"C-c-caitlin Gel-ler," Mitchie chattered, her voice not sounding nearly as threatening as she wanted it to when her teeth were knocking against each other from the cold. "I swear-" she began.

"You shouldn't," Caitlyn replied tartly. "It isn't polite or ladylike at all." He teasing voice assured Mitchie that she knew _exactly_ where Mitchie had been heading before she had been cut off. "Now get up and get dressed. I'll take the bathroom first because I take less time."

She grabbed the clothes she would need for the day and headed towards the bathroom for a hot shower. Just before she closed the door, Caitlyn peeked around and murmured, "Don't you dare go back to sleep."

"I couldn't if I wanted to," Mitchie grumbled.

* * *

An hour later, Caitlyn was standing in line at the closest Starbucks, tapping her foot against the floor in annoyance. Today was probably the most important day of her life and Starbucks chose _now_ to run out of chocolate for her mocha. Naturally.

She practically growled as two other orders were placed on the counter and their prospective owners called for. Was she the only one affected by this injustice? Apparently so.

"Caitlyn," the barista called, and Caitlyn nearly jumped towards the counter where her drink and Mitchie's waited to be picked up.

"Thank you," she grumbled at the barista, guessing that she should at least be polite since they had opened another bottle of chocolate especially for her. However, the busy woman was already off working on someone else's drink, so Caitlyn felt that her politeness had not even been rewarded.

Despite the fact that this was _supposed_ to be the best day of her life, Caitlyn was beginning to feel grumpier and grumpier by the minute, and she began regretting even getting out of bed as she tried to weave through the throng of people. Seriously! Did everyone in the entire state come to this particular Starbucks?

She slipped in between a heavy man and a smartly-dressed woman, obviously on her way to work, and collided with something very solid coming at her at approximately two miles an hour. "Oh!" she cried as she felt something burning hot spill onto the front of her new top. The hot liquid quickly permeated the material and began to burn her skin even as she collided with the hard floor.

Her head hit the tile and the world spun into blurry shapes as Caitlyn opened her eyes again to stare at what had just hit her. Standing over her was a young man, probably the same age as she, holding a now-empty coffee cup and reached out to help her up with a worried look on his face. She blinked, and then realized that he was quite handsome. She blinked again and her anger returned in full, Caitlyn-sized force.

Not only had this complete stranger, albeit cute stranger, dumped his very hot drink on her and knocked her to the floor, but it was in the moment that Caitlyn realized that the movies were completely untrue. It was hardly love at first sight, the floor actually hurt when she collided with it, and the coffee this stranger had just spilled on her was actually too hot to be brushed off with a wave and an invitation to dinner.

I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, ignoring the staring patrons that were trying to step around the puddle of…well, whatever his drink had been. He lifted Caitlyn up with ease, and she felt a flutter ripple through her stomach, but she pushed it away with the hot coals of fury that she felt as well. Perhaps she had been wrong about the love at first sight aspect. "Are you alright?" he asked, eying her up and down and looking for bodily harm.

"No," she replied, glaring at him and gripping the two drinks she still carried in her hands a little tighter.

Two boys rushed up to Ciatlyn and the stranger, but Caitlyn barely saw them. Her mind was too hazed with anger. This day was _not_ going as it was supposed to be. Her lips pressed into a firm line and she waited. Any minute now and (according to the movies) he would say-

"Is there something I can do to make it up to you?" he asked anxiously, and right on cue.

"You could rewind time, fix my shirt, and get rid of all the bruises I'm probably going to have," Caitlyn responded sarcastically, wiping a bit of the rapidly cooling drink off of her face. She wasn't really paying attention to the boy, but she noticed that he had ducked his head in shame. "Otherwise," she told him, "there's no-" And then she thought of something.

She stepped toward him, never looking him in the eyes for fear that she wouldn't be able to do it, and popped the lid off of her mocha. She stretched up on her tiptoes and poured the liquid over the boy's head in a fountain of coffee and chocolate. It further splattered her shirt, but she couldn't be bothered at the moment enough to care.

"Now we're even," she told him as he stood in front of her, gasping from the temperature of the beverage she had just poured over his head.

She shouldered past him and walked towards the door, Mitchie's drink being the only drink left unaltered, and almost made it out when she heard a chuckle. "You got burned, Nate," joked one boy, and laughed at his own imagined wittiness.

She turned and looked at the boy, saying tartly, "Serves him right," and then left Starbucks, never to return to that particular one again. Who in their right mind would want to go to a Starbucks that had to scramble around to find enough chocolate for her drink and had patrons that were in such a hurry that they dumped their drinks on her?

"Got burned," she muttered unhappily as she jumped into the driver's seat of her car and shoved Mitchie's drink into the cup holder. She started the engine and spoke to her reflection as she said, "Such a bad joke."

She pulled out of the driveway and made it to the first red light before a spark of recognization reached her coffee-fogged brain, making her slam on her breaks harder than she had anticipated. "Oh my gosh!" she screamed, terrified as she realized that the boy in Starbucks that had thought himself to be so funny had been THE Shane Grey. The same Shane Grey that happened to be Mitchie's boyfriend. The Shane Grey that she had never met, but was going to meet in half an hour when she went over the sound and lighting procedures for the first show of the Connect 3 tour that Mitchie was performing in.

Another bit of wisdom assaulted her as the light turned green. _She had just dumped her mocha all over Nate Grey._ Yet, her first emotion was not mortification, or even embarrassment, it was fear. "Mitchie's going to kill me," she told the road as it brought her ever nearer to the stadium where Mitchie was waiting for her. What would she say? What would she do? This tour was going to be her debut as a producer/ pianist, and she had ruined it before it had even begun. Worse, she might have just ruined it for Mitchie.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Caitlyn pulled in to the stadium and noticed that there were only seven other cars in the parking lot. With any luck, Nate's car wasn't one of them. Caitlyn stepped out of her own car and winced as the smell of coffee wafted up as she moved. Her new outfit was ruined.

"Brilliant," she muttered unhappily as she grabbed her purse and Mitchie's drink, slamming the door harder than necessary before trudging into the stadium through the back entrance.

As she neared the stage, she heard voices and prayed that the Connect 3 boys had not gotten there already. However, her prayers were not to be answered as she walked into the large arena, only to find Mitchie perched up on the stage, swinging her legs as she curled into Shane Grey's side.

"You poor thing," Mitchie was saying, and Caitlyn realized as she drew even closer that Mitchie was talking to Nate. "Does it hurt?"

Nate shook his head. "No," he said and wiped his sleeve once more over his face. "It was my fault. I saw her and thought she was cute so I was trying to talk to her when someone bumped me and I slammed right into her."

"Poor thing," Mitchie murmured again, and happened to look up at that moment. "Caitlyn!" she cried happily.

All three boys turned to look at Caitlyn, who was still standing there in a bit of shock. Had he really just said that he had found her cute? He had been trying to talk to her when he had nearly run her over? Well, this complicates matters.

Caitlyn blushed scarlet when Nate's eyes widened in recognition. She stared down at the floor as she walked over to Mitchie, who exclaimed, "Caitlyn! What on earth happened to your new outfit?" She obviously hadn't put it together yet.

"I-" Caitlyn began, and then paused, unsure what she should say. Mitchie would be furious if she knew that Caitlyn was the one that had just dumped coffee all over Nate Grey.

"Caitlyn's the one that I dumped my coffee on," Nate said bravely, stepping closer to Caitlyn as though to support her. Mitchie started to say something, but Nate shook his head. "No worries, Mitchie," he told her with a laugh that was rather forced on account of his awkwardness. "Caitlyn and I are even, aren't we?" He turned and smiled weakly at Caitlyn, who smiled back even weaker as she nodded, wishing that the floor would open up and swallow her _now._

Mitchie was still eying Caitlyn curiously when Jason spoke up and said, "You two had better go and get changed. Rehearsals start in twenty minutes." He winked at Caitlyn as he said it, and Caitlyn wondered if that was his unspoken way of telling her that he wasn't upset at her actions towards his brother. In a way, he almost seemed amused.

"Right," Nate said uncomfortably. He turned to Caitlyn and said, "If you'd like, I can show you the dressing rooms." His offer was hesitant at best, as though he still thought that she was mad at him.

"Sure," she said, just as uncomfortably, and let him lead her out of the arena and down another hallway in the stadium.

"I guess you heard what I said, didn't you?" Nate asked as they walked, and Caitlyn noticed that his face got bright red as he said it.

"Kinda," she muttered, embarrassed as well. No guy had ever said anything like that about her before.

Nate suddenly stopped right in the middle of the hallway and turned to face her. "I meant it," he told her earnestly, seeming to have gained a bit more confidence. "I really did, and it would mean a lot to me if you would let me take you out on a date after tonight's show."

Caitlyn blinked. Was he really asking her out after all she'd done to him? "Are you sure you want to go out with me?" she asked him curiously, voicing her thoughts. "Might I remind you that I'm the girl that dumped her mocha all over your head?"

Nate grinned and nodded. "I'm sure," he said, "but only if you want to go with me. Besides," he grinned, "you don't have anything to dump on me this time."

Caitlyn actually laughed. "You're right," she said, still giggling. "You're smart." Nate laughed and Caitlyn looked down at her hands. If this boy could accept her even after she'd dumped coffee all over him, he might be worth giving a try. "I'd love to go out with you," she said, her own face heating up as she said the words.

"What's wrong?" Nate asked worriedly as he saw her blushing.

Caitlyn shook her head. "Nothing," she told him, even more embarrassed now that she had to explain herself. "I've just never gone on a date before." She glanced up at him shyly and said, "I was waiting for the right person."

Nate's eyes sparkled and he shyly rested his hand on her shoulder. "Then I'll make sure that your evening's perfect," he promised her.

"Sounds great," Caitlyn told him, feeling awkward, yet happy, and acutely aware that his hand was touching her shoulder.

Without another word, Nate started walking again, leading her the rest of the way to the dressing rooms.

* * *

The concert had been amazing. There was no other word to describe it other than amazing. Caitlyn hurried down the now-quiet hallways to her dressing room, pulling her hair out of the ponytail she had had it in during the performance. What could she do with it for her date?

She pushed open the door to her dressing room and entered with a sigh, allowing the grin to spread across her face as she remembered the crowds and the cheering that had accompanied them all as they received Caitlyn and Mitchie with open arms.

A note on her dressing table caught Caitlyn's eye and she crossed to pick it up, blushing when she saw the single, long-stemmed rose that accompanied it. She opened it, not realizing that she was holding he breath, and began to read.

_Dear Caitlyn,_ it read, _meet me in the main lobby when you're ready to go. Dress in whatever makes you comfortable. See you soon, Nate P.S. You were amazing tonight.  
_

The note sent Caitlyn into a flurry of excitement and she dashed around the room, pulling one costume off and pulling a pair of nice jeans and a pretty blue top on.

She whirled around to the mirror and began trying to find a style she liked for her hair, finally settling on a simple style with a silver clip for accent. "There," she said, finally deciding that her appearance was as good as it was going to get.

She breathed deeply as she headed out the door, mentally reminding herself that this was just a date, and that she could do it. Any fear, however, vanished when she saw Nate standing in the huge lobby of the stadium, strolling casually around and checking his watch. Somehow, the sight put her at ease and she felt the familiar bubbling sensation in her stomach.

"Waiting for someone?" she asked, making herself known.

Nate turned around, and after appraising her for a moment, smiled widely before blushing. "Not anymore," he said and walked toward her. "You look great."

"Thanks," Caitlyn said. "You don't look so bad yourself."

They laughed, clearing any tension in the air, and then Nate led her outside to his car and opened her door for her so that she could slide in. The ride to the restaurant was not long enough, in Caitlyn's opinion. They talked about everything they could possibly think of over the drive and dinner, and it was only when they had stood out in the stadium parking lot for two more hours that Caitlyn finally decided that it was time for her to get home. Mitchie would not be pleased if her pianist couldn't get up the next morning.

"Was it everything you'd imagined?" Nate asked shyly, blushing as he asked.

Caitlyn smiled back at him and shook her head. "It was so much more than what I'd expected," she clarified. "I don't know how to thank you. I guess, thank you so much?" They both laughed and Nate just nodded, knowing that no thanks were necessary. It had been his utmost pleasure.

She leaned in, expecting to give him a kiss on his cheek to say thank you before she slipped away for the night, but he turned towards her at the last moment to ask what she was doing, and her lips collided with his. For a moment, they stood there, frozen, but then Nate let out a deep breath and pulled her closer, allowing her time to pull away if she wanted. She didn't, so he pulled her even closer, pressing her to his chest as he kissed her for the first time.

It could have been minutes, or it could have been hours before Nate pulled away, stroking Caitlyn's hair away from her face. He smiled widely at her as he leaned his forehead against hers. She would be his girlfriend, he knew, and he owed it all to dumping his cappuccino all over her.

Caitlyn smiled back and ran her hand through his curly hair, mimicking his motions before she drew his willing head back down to hers. She had found her way to thank him. As her lips touched his once again, she whispered, "Now we're even."

**A/N: Well, I hope you liked it! I've once again lost my flash drive (it should seriously have a chain that goes around my neck) but this idea came to mind and so I tried it. Credit goes to purpleangel87, whose story Coffee gave me the idea for Nate and Caitlyn's favorite drinks. If you have a chance, go check it out. Also, please review!! Reviews make my day! :D**


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